The Road To Destruction
by PerfectlyPrecious
Summary: During a mission gone wrong, Neji and Lee disappear, along with the rest of their team. As their friends race to find them, a new threat for Konoha is unveiled, and the missing team becomes part of something much bigger than they could ever have expected. Post-War. Shikamaru/Temari
1. Chapter 1

**The Road to Destruction: Part 1 in my ****_The Road of Life _****series**

**Warnings: Slight AU, violence, blood, some spoilers for the manga beyond where the anime is currently at.  
**

**Non-Warnings: No Yaoi (none... ever), no F-bombs or language of that degree, no blasphemy of any sort.**

**Timeline: Five to Six months after the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War.**

**Pairings: Shikamaru/Temari **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto... which should be pretty obvious.**

**Please enjoy and drop me a review :)**

* * *

"I am not sure that we are in the right spot."

An unnecessary observation, considering they were in the middle of the forest, far from the agreed meeting place with their client, and had been stationary for nearly an hour. But Neji didn't feel the need to say any of this. He knew Lee's remark was more of a not-so-subtle nudge in the general direction of their team leader than an actual observation. It was absurdly clear that they were not in the right spot, and that they would not _be_ in the right spot for another several hours unless they got moving soon.

Although, Neji couldn't blame Lee for his statement, however nonsensical it was. Lee hated staying stationary, preferring to dive right into the thick of things, and the green clad shinobi was probably going out of his mind at the inactivity. But Neji also knew that the prod was lost on their jōnin leader. Neji had worked with Isamu before, and while the man was many things, tolerant of his subordinates was not one of them. This was confirmed by the snarl he directed at Lee.

"Well, of course we aren't!" Isamu snapped, the scroll he was currently reading pulled taut in his frustration. "Don't make stupid remarks!"

Isamu was a burly man in his thirties, a few years older than Guy Sensei. He reminded Neji a little of Ibiki—the same sunny disposition but without the facial scars.

Isamu might as well have been shouting at a rock. Lee paid the man no attention as he continued to scan the surrounding forest from his perch in the tree above the two jōnin. A hand raised to shield his brow from the light rain that had started to fall nearly half an hour ago, and was steadily dripping through the foliage to drench them all.

Neji also didn't feel the need to tell Lee that there was no need to be lookout. The rain made his Byakugan even stronger, and there was no one around for the next several miles. Only the low chakra signatures of small animals and birds could be detected, and they posed no threat to the group of shinobi.

Lee finished his surveillance and leapt down from the tree, splashing into the mud and splattering Isamu's sandals. The man glowered at Lee, fury radiating off of him so thick that Neji imagined he would be able to see it with his visual jutsu. The Hyūga sensed trouble. Isamu was a jōnin, and a very experienced one at that; but the man tended to think more highly of himself than was strictly healthy. He had an ego the size of the entire Land of Fire, and he considered himself to be an expert at any and everything he attempted. The Hokage had assigned Neji to the team in hopes that his cool head and good instincts might be able to balance out Isamu, but if anything it had simply antagonized the problem. Isamu considered Neji's existence and high shinobi status to be a personal insult and had become even more arrogant than usual.

So putting Rock Lee on the team as well was about as sane as covering oneself in paper bombs and jumping off a cliff—something that Neji had actually considered during the course of the mission. Neji couldn't think of two people more different than Lee and Isamu. Lee's enthusiasm and overall jovial personality grated against Isamu like nails on a chalkboard. And Lee just didn't know what to make of Isamu's sour moods and lack of motivation to walk on his hands for the entire journey.

Lee was only trying to be helpful, but his methods were backfiring. Neji feared that any more would seriously jeopardize the mission—if it hadn't already.

Isamu still looked ready to eviscerate the chūnin, so Neji smoothly stepped in as a diversion. "Toru's been gone for an hour. He should have been back by now," Neji reminded Isamu, who turned his attention away from Lee and grunted.

Lee nodded in agreement. "Indeed. His absence is most distressing."

Another grunt from Isamu. This one much more hostile.

Neji suppressed a sigh. Toru was young and nearly as exuberant as Lee. The kid's eyes had glowed like Christmas when he first saw Neji and Lee, and during the entire time they were walking, the eager young shinobi had been asking them questions about the war, about all the villains they had defeated. He had asked for pointers in his training, which Lee had been more than happy to help him with. After a bit, Neji had also stepped in to help. At the end of their training, Toru had solemnly turned to Neji and said, "You're my hero. Someday, I hope to be as strong as you." And then promptly walked away, leaving Neji blinking after him. It made him feel both uncomfortable and rather pleased.

That might have been part of the reason Isamu sent Toru ahead to scout the prearranged meeting area. Neji had protested. Not only was Toru the least experienced of the group, but the Hyūga's Byakugan would have been much more beneficial to scout ahead. Unfortunately, his words had fallen on deaf ears. Isamu sent Toru, and now there was no sign of the missing chūnin.

"It worries me," said Neji, turning to stare deep into the forest. "I can't find him at all with my Byakugan."

"Well, I should hope not," Isamu snapped, his hands tightening on the scroll so that the paper wrinkled. He glared at Neji. "He wouldn't be much of a scout if he didn't even go beyond the range of that visual jutsu of yours."

Neji's face remained blank. "If I had gone, I wouldn't have had to go nearly so far."

Isamu grunted. He rolled up the scroll and tucked it into the pack on his back. Neji frowned. He had been staring at the scroll the entire time they had been waiting on Toru. "Right, well I think it's time we went and found the kid. He probably went and scouted the area and got lost, the brat. Hyūga, keep that Byakugan of yours activated. We don't want to miss Toru by accident."

"Right," said Neji, relieved that they were finally going to get moving again. He was becoming tired of this mission very fast. He would rather have spent his time entertaining _Naruto_.

There was also the shadow of unease that lurked in the back of his mind. Unease that he had so far refused to give credence to. There was nothing around to suggest that he had anything to be concerned about.

"Excellent!" cried Lee enthusiastically. "With the power of our youth, we will find Toru and complete the mission! Guy Sensei has promised to train with me when we return to the village."

"Ay-yi," groaned Isamu. "Does this kid ever shut up?" he asked too quietly for Lee to hear. Neji frowned at Isamu's back. That was the second time in a last minute that Isamu had insulted a team member. And while it wasn't right for the team leader to insult a member at any time, Neji felt especially defensive of Lee. If it would have done any good, he might have said something, but some things were better tucked away for future reference. Reporting Isamu's lack of tact and leadership to the Hokage would be much more beneficial in the long run, especially if Neji was ever forced to go on another mission with him.

Besides, Lee was made of tougher stuff. He had never let such things get him down before.

The three shinobi leapt into the trees and took off, gliding from branch to branch as only a ninja could. Neji kept his eyes peeled, glad for the rain that increased the distance he could see. Isamu led them in the direction that Toru had taken when he left, Neji and Lee close behind. As they travelled further, Neji's unease grew, to the point that he could no longer pass it off as simple irritation with Isamu or even concern for Toru. His senses on high alert, he tensed, prepared for anything. Movement on his right had him calling out to his team.

"Stop!" he said, landing on a branch.

Isamu and Lee stopped one branch ahead of him.

"What's wrong?" Isamu asked. "Do you see Toru?"

"No," said Neji. His pale eyes searched the ground below him. The veins around his eyes bulged from his kekkei genkai. "It's something else. It doesn't feel right."

Isamu grunted in annoyance. "If you don't see anything, then what could be wrong?"

"I don't know," admitted Neji. He _could_ see everything around, nearly 360 degrees. The only things around them were small animals. There was a bird in the tree behind him, but he wasn't concerned with it. There was a sense of wrongness coming from the forest floor and the unmistakable signs of chakra. "Do you feel it, Lee?"

"I do not feel anything," Lee said slowly. "But you are much better at sensing chakra than I am."

Lee leapt down from his tree a beat after Neji. Isamu yelled in frustration.

"What is the matter with you two?! Are you the team captain now, Hyūga? We need to keep going if we're going to get to the meeting place on time."

"Now is not the time," growled Neji. A fine thing that Isamu was concerned with punctuality _now_, when they had made no progress at all in the last hour. Unsure of what they would be facing, Neji drew a kunai from his pouch. Lee did the same and the two teammates faced the forest and the unknown.

"Can you see anything, Neji?" Lee asked in hushed tones.

Neji ground his teeth and didn't answer. He could see everything, but that wasn't the issue. It wasn't what he could see, but what he couldn't see.

Or more precisely, what he couldn't see within the things he could see.

He saw the forest, he saw the rain. He saw a small chakra signature coming toward them, but it was no larger than a squirrel. Maybe a rabbit.

Neji narrowed his eyes.

Isamu had gone quiet and drawn his kunai as well. At least he had finally come to his senses. Neji hadn't thought that he would be so arrogant as to be completely heedless of another shinobi. Isamu jumped from the tree and landed in a crouch a little in front of Neji. He watched the undergrowth. The small chakra signature came closer, and Neji's sense of unease grew.

Everyone tensed at the soft rustle of the bush.

And then a rabbit popped out.

Isamu let out a breath, straightening up and lowering his kunai. "Geez, Hyūga, was that all you were making a fuss over? I thought you were supposed to be a genius."

Neji didn't take his eyes off the rabbit. Something still wasn't right. And then he saw it. The faint unnatural ripple of chakra in the animal; the sudden compression of it in its core. But he was a split second too late.

"GET DOWN," he cried at the same moment he spun and tackled Lee.

The rabbit exploded.

* * *

Tsunade groaned and leaned back in her chair. The chair wasn't the exact same one that she'd had before the Leaf's destruction at the hands of Pain, but it felt just as uncomfortable. It pinched and poked her when she did anything but sit up straight, and worst of all, it confined her, forcing her to face the abhorrent desk in front of her. While the desk itself wasn't the true source of her eternal loathing, the paperwork on top of it was.

Tsunade growled menacingly at the offending mission requests, forms, and reports. They covered nearly every inch of the wooden desk, stacked a foot high, and even the mere thought of spending the entire day going through them had her contemplating the murder of the next person to walk through the door with a paper in their hands. Though, that probably wasn't the kind of thing a Hokage would do. A Hokage wouldn't want to get blood on their hands, so they'd make their underlings do the dirty work. But where was the fun in that?

She sighed. What would her grandfather think if he could see her now?

She glanced back down at her workload. The kunoichi briefly considered chucking the whole desk out the window, papers and all. She imagined the lovely sight of hundreds of slips of paper sailing away on the wind and the beautiful image of splintered wood on the ground below. And then she imagined the looks of horror on Kotetsu and Izumo's faces when she ordered them to collect every single piece of paper and bring them back to her along with the desk. Undamaged, of course. That would not only give her a nice long break to get a drink of sake, but it would also keep Shizune from having a stroke.

Her fantasies were shattered when the door opened and Shizune stepped into the office, Tonton tucked in her arms. She stopped dead as soon as she caught sight of Tsunade's face, and she fixed the Hokage with a suspicious glare, as though she had read the kunoichi's mind.

"Lady Tsunade," she reprimanded, "were you trying to get out of work again?"

"What?" Tsunade asked innocently. "No, of course not! I would never even _think_ of doing such a thing."

Shizune scowled, unmoved. "Lady Tsunade! The war may be over, but there is still tons of work to do! Many villages were damaged and are requesting assistance from the five great nations. And the feudal lord has requested a meeting with you. Not to mention that the ambassador from the Sand Village is arriving in a week, and all the necessary preparation haven't been finished!" Her irritation had left her breathless, eliciting a small "Oink" of sympathy from Tonton.

"I know," Tsunade sighed. She rested an elbow on her desk and stared out the window. The clear sky outside was dotted with puffy white clouds. The air was calm, a light breeze the only movement. It felt too unnaturally calm in her opinion, like the calm before a storm. "There's too much to do, if truth be told. For once, the villages of the Five Great Nations are united. There's peace treaties to draw up, documents to be sent to other villages, and mission requests are starting to fly in once again. I know it's been six months since the war ended, but the repercussions are still being felt all over. Especially here in the Leaf. We had barely started to recover from Pain, when we had to send most of our forces to war."

Tsunade sighed again. "I've sent out all the teams I can spare on missions to appease our clients, but I'm still shorthanded. Well, I'm expecting one of the teams back shortly, so at least I'll have them. I wish they'd hurry up though," she added with a growl.

Shizune switched at once to reassuring mode. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Lady Tsunade. They were probably just held up a bit."

"Hmph!" said Tsunade. "That may be an excuse for a chūnin, but there are two jōnin on that team. It was a C-rank mission, how hard could it be to be back on time?!"

Shizune blinked. "Why did you send two jōnin on a simple mission?"

Tsunade's anger faded. A look of worry briefly flitted over her features. "Well, truth be told, the mission may be simple but they were sent to the border area, and it's a bit… unstable."

"Unstable?"

Tsunade nodded. "A lot of shinobi don't agree with the alliance of the Great Nations now that the war is over, especially ones from smaller villages. Many ninja have gone rogue."

"You think there's a chance that the group could have been attacked?"

"No." Tsunade's irritation was back, as quick as it had left her. "That's why I assigned two of my jōnin to the team. There is no excuse! I need them back here so I can pile more work on them!"


	2. Chapter 2

It was still in the early morning hours and the Leaf Village was quiet. Only a few early risers were up and about. Shop keepers were just preparing to open for the day. Children were waking up to go to the Academy. And Tenten could be found slinking down one of the silent streets, eyes rapidly scanning side to side for possible danger lurking in the shadows. It was early, too early really, but she had little choice. She had just returned from a mission and already reported to the Hokage. All that was left to do was to make her way home without being spotted.

The end of the street was fast approaching. Tenten flattened herself against the corner building and shimmied along the wall until she reached the corner. Carefully, she poked her head out just enough to take a peek at the next street. A light wind blew, stirring up the dust from the road into a swirling cloud. Movement caught her eye and she stiffened, sucking in a breath. But it was only a stray cat. Tenten sighed in relief. Another disaster avoided. Just as she was about to duck down the street, a voice rang out behind her.

"Hey Tenten!"

Tenten gave a violent start and whipped around to behold a smiling Sakura, waving as she jogged towards her. Tenten panicked and darted forward to meet the kunoichi halfway, slapping a hand over her mouth.

"Shhhh!" she hissed.

Sakura stared up at Tenten with wide eyes. Tenten slowly released her hold on her.

Once Tenten's hand had been removed from her face, Sakura frowned. "What's up with you? And why are you slinking around everywhere? You look like Naruto when he's on cleaning duty."

"Why do you think?" Tenten hissed, casting a nervous glance behind her. "I'm avoiding Guy Sensei!"

Sakura blinked. "Guy Sensei? Why?"

"Why? _Why_?!" Tenten's voice became shrill. "Because Lee and Neji are on a mission! And that means that if Guy sensei sees me, he'll want to train with me!"

"Ah, and you don't want to train with all that enthusiasm?"

"Yes!" Tenten cried, then paused. "Well, no. Actually, it's usually not so bad. I mean, If Lee was here, then he would just absorb all of Sensei's energy so it would be safer for me; and Neji's a Jōnin, which means that he can handle Guy Sensei's enthusiasm without it being too much like disrespect! Ahh!" She clutched at her hair. "But they're not here! And if I'm alone, then there's no one to be a buffer."

Sakura looked at her pityingly. "Can't you just tell him you're busy?"

"With what?" Tenten asked miserably, leaning against the wall with a small sigh. "Unless I have a mission, Guy Sensei won't care, and I just got back from a mission. I won't have another one until Lee gets back, making everything pointless anyway."

Sakura shook her head and closed her eyes. "You need a vacation." She looked at Tenten, about to say something else, but her eyes strayed to a point beyond Tenten. Her face brightened and she waved. "There's Hinata. Hey, Hinata!"

Tenten jumped involuntarily at the shout, hastily looking around to see if her Sensei had been drawn to the noise.

But there was only Hinata, coming down the street.

"Sakura. Tenten."

"Hinata," Sakura smiled. "How have you been?"

"Alright," Hinata said quietly. But she let out a soft little sigh, looking away from the other girls.

"Hm?" Tenten exchanged a puzzled look with Sakura.

"Is something the matter, Hinata?" Sakura asked gently.

Hinata looked up, the unmistakable signs of worry on her face. There was a little crease between her brows and her hands fidgeted, index fingers poking together in the odd little tic that she did whenever she was nervous.

"No, it's just… Neji niisan is on a mission. He was supposed to be back yesterday."

"That's right, they were!" Tenten exclaimed, suddenly remembering Lee's promise to be back by the end of the week. She smacked a fist into her palm. "What's keeping those two?!"

"Lee's probably walking on his hands the whole way home," Sakura laughed. "Don't worry, Hinata," she assured the kunoichi. "Neji and Lee are two of the most capable ninja in the village. I'm sure their business is just taking a little longer than expected."

"Yeah," Hinata gave a small smile. "You're probably right." But the lines of worry didn't completely ease from her face.

Tenten had become distracted and allowed herself to become complacent. Her earlier objective had slipped her mind for a brief moment, but it all came rushing back in one horrifying instant.

"TENTEN!"

"Eep!" Tenten jumped a foot in the air as Guy Sensei's hand clapped down on her shoulder. _Crap_, she thought miserably.

Guy Sensei laughed. "Just the person I wanted to see! I have some new training techniques that I want to perfect and what better time than in the early morning youth of the day! Together, through the power of our youth, I know we can accomplish it!" He gave Tenten the thumbs up and a ridiculously large grin that caught the light and nearly blinded the kunoichi.

_Kill me now_, Tenten tried to tell her friends, catching their eyes. Sakura gave her a pointed look.

Tenten gulped. "Uhh, sure, Guy Sensei, I'd love to… but-"

"Ah-ah-ah," guy sensei wagged a finger at her. "Your youth will not wait for you. You must seize the moment with both hands!" he made two fists flexing his muscles before breaking out into another laugh and throwing an arm around Tenten's shoulders. "Come on! The world awaits us!" He paused and looked at the other two girls. They both took a step back. "You know, you two are welcome to join us!"

Sakura recoiled. "Sorry, Guy Sensei," she smiled nervously, shaking her head and her hands and not sounding apologetic at all. "I'm afraid I have work at the hospital today. Otherwise I'd love to help you guys out."

Tenten gave the medical ninja the dirtiest look she could muster.

Hinata poked her fingers together again. "I have a mission later," she said quietly.

"Of course." Guy Sensei bowed his head. "There are still so many youthful souls recovering from the war, and many missions that need completing. But my offer stands for whenever you find yourself with free time!" His head popped up, fire blazing in his eyes. "Come along, my student, and let us pursue the power of youth!"

They started walking away.

Tenten threw one last pleading look over her shoulder, a desperate cry for help.

The two other kunoichi just watched her go.

Tenten growled.

Sighing, she faced forward again, a definite slump to her shoulders. She had just about given up hope when a new voice spoke up from behind, where Sakura and Hinata still stood.

"What are you two up to?"

Guy Sensei stilled. Tenten sucked in a breath. Could she really be that lucky?

Guy Sensei released her and whipped around. "Kakashi! My eternal rival!"

"Huh?" the masked jōnin's eye opened a little wider as it slipped to Guy and Tenten. "Oh." He sounded anything but thrilled. "Hello, Guy."

Guy Sensei let out a booming laugh. He strode over to his rival and threw an arm around his shoulders. Tenten slunk up to Sakura and Hinata, positioning herself behind them.

"You're just the person I wanted to see, Kakashi! Tenten and I were just about to start some training exercises, or I would challenge you to a rematch, my rival!"

Kakashi blinked at him. "Oh?"

Tenten felt her chance slipping away. She quickly stepped out form her hiding spot and waved her hands. "Oh no, Guy Sensei, I wouldn't want to intrude on your eternal rival-ship! We can train later! I have some things I need to do anyway." She barked out a laugh, reaching up to scratch her head.

Guy beamed at her. "You see Kakashi!" He nudged the jōnin. "Lady Luck has smiled on us today! So what shall our challenge be on this fine day! Just don't say rock, paper, scissors. I know! Let's see who can eat the most dumplings from the Dango Shop. There's nothing like starting the day with dumplings!"

Kakashi sighed. He shoved one hand in his pocket and with the other, brought out a copy of _Make Out Tactics_ and stuck his nose in it. He began walking down the street, with Guy following at his heels, still rattling off different challenges.

Just before the two jōnin turned the corner, Kakashi looked back and winked at the girls.

Tenten slumped in relief once they had disappeared. "Thank goodness."

Sakura tsked. "You've just put off the inevitable, you know."

"As long as the inevitable comes after Lee is back." Tenten sighed and leaned against the wall. "I really do need a vacation."

"Hmm," Sakura rubbed her jaw. "A vacation… That's it!" She punched her fist into her palm. "A girl's night! That's what we need."

"Yeah," said Tenten, brightening. "Just like the one we had before the war!"

"I think all of us girls need a break from everything."

Tenten's face fell again as another thought hit her. "But I'm supposed to go on a mission soon, and it could last for weeks."

"That's okay," Sakura assured her. "We'll do it on the first day we all have off together. I'll tell Ino when I see her."

"Great!" Tenten beamed. "You'll come too, Hinata, right?"

"Oh," Hinata's gaze snapped up to the two girls. She blinked. "Yes, of course."

Tenten frowned and was about to ask Hinata if something else was bothering her, when another voice shouted at them.

"Hey Sakura! Hinata! Tenten!"

Naruto Uzumaki, in all his enthusiasm, bounded down the street, one arm flailing over his head in what Tenten supposed was a wave. He beamed at the girls, closing his eyes at just the wrong moment. His foot caught on a stone in the road, and the jinchūriki did an impressive slow-mo face plant in the street.

"Naruto!" Hinata cried, her eyes widening as she rushed towards the fallen ninja. Sakura followed grumbling under her breath.

Tenten followed. The ninja who saved the entire world. _Riiiight. Real smooth_, she thought with a snicker.

Naruto picked himself up still grinning, though a touch of embarrassment now colored his face.

"Naruto," Sakura sighed. "What are doing?"

"Looking for you, Sakura!" Naruto laughed. "What say you and me go on a date?"

Hinata, face tomato red, make a choking sound.

Naruto's gaze flicked to her, concern replacing his smile. "You okay, Hinata?"

Sakura's fist collided with his head. "Naruto, you dolt! What's the matter with you?!"

Naruto went down hard. "Ow, Sakura. Why do you have to be like that?"

"Why do you have to be such a brainless moron?" Sakura snarled. "How can you still be so thick after everything that's happened!?"

Naruto rubbed his blonde spikes, a pout on his face. "Come on, it was just a joke."

"Some Joke!"

Naruto cringed, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright. Sheesh. Anyway, I was looking for you. Sai too. Granny Tsunade said she wanted to see all of us."

"Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked, her anger at her teammate fading away. "Is it about a mission? I was supposed to work at the hospital today."

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno." He folded his hands behind his head. "She didn't say much. Only that Shizune could take care of your work or something. Hey! Maybe it has something to do with Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Sasuke?"

Naruto shrugged again. "I dunno. I guess I should go find Sai." He grinned at them, causing Hinata to go even redder. Tenten shook her head at the girl. It seemed the only time she ever had any courage around Naruto was when everyone was about to die. "See ya!" The blonde shinobi made the crossed fingers symbol for a shadow clone and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura grumbled, waving away the smoke. "Just a shadow clone? What, am I not important enough for the real thing?" she groused. Turning back to the other two she suddenly beamed. "So! I'll tell Ino about the Girls Night! Anyway, I should get going. Bye!" With that she jogged away.

Tenten blinked. "That team has some serious issues. Then again, so does mine."

She looked off in the distance.

_Where are you, Lee? Neji?_

* * *

The heat from the blast seared Neji's back and singed his hair, but he cared little about that. He only cared that Lee was safe. The force of the blast plus Neji's tackle sent them rocketing into the forest. The two teammates hit the ground, rolling a few times before they came to a stop. Neji looked back towards the sight of the explosion, but the only thing visible was a thick cloud of gray smoke.

Beside him, Lee coughed. He too looked back, his thick brows furrowed in confusion. "What was that? A paper bomb?"

Animals carrying paper bombs were no novelty, but Neji narrowed his eyes. "That was no paper bomb."

Lee groaned, rubbing the back of his head. Neji felt a prickle of guilt that was quickly quashed by the rational part of his brain. Lee may have sustained some injury from his none-too-gentle tackle, but at least he was not seriously injured, as he could have been if he had been any closer to the blast. Neji had been a ninja long enough to know the exact amount of heat a paper bomb produced. The heat from this explosion had been much greater, and therefore, the damage could have been much worse.

Lee's eye suddenly snapped open in alarm and he gasped. "What about Isamu?"

Neji's stomach dropped. Isamu had been closer than they had, and he hadn't had the forewarning that Neji had. He and Lee both jumped to their feet.

"Judging by where he was standing when the blast happened…" Neji murmured to himself. He looked off towards his left. "Byakugan!" Immediately, his vision turned monochromatic, an inverted color scheme that showed him every detail of the surrounding forest. Finding the chakra signature of Isamu took less than a moment, and had Neji springing away in the proper direction, Lee on his heels.

At least the presence of chakra meant that Isamu was still alive, and hopefully for the most part unharmed. Neji landed and let his vision return to normal. Isamu lay sprawled out by a tree, unconscious. The tree appeared to have something thrown into it, probably Isamu, Neji thought.

Lee bent down to check him. "He is still alive," he said.

Neji looked around. The quiet forest was not so safe or peaceful anymore. "We can't stay here. Someone was behind this attack."

Lee looked up, a frown on his face. "What exactly _was_ the attack?"

"I don't know," Neji admitted with a small shake of his head. "It was unlike anything I have ever seen."

A quiet groan drew his and Lee's eyes down to their team leader. Isamu was stirring. He brought a hand up to his head and slowly opened his eyes, blinking to dispel the darkness from them.

"Isamu! Are you alright?" Lee asked with genuine concern.

Isamu's eyes focused on the ninja above him and he let out another groan. "Off all the ninja in the world it had to be you. Why couldn't I get a pretty girl to be here when I woke up?"

Neji was barely able to check his irritation. "This is not the time. We need to find Toru and return to the Leaf right away to let the Hokage know about this attack."

"No." Isamu got to his feet slowly. "We must complete the mission."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "This mission has gone wrong from the very start. We are late as it is, and I have my doubts that our client will be waiting for us at this 'predetermined meeting place' as you so aptly put it. This is all beginning to look like one big trap. If it wasn't for my concern for Toru, I would knock you out and take you back to the Leaf myself."

Isamu fairly snarled at Neji. Sparks could have been flying out of his eyes for the heat of the glare he bestowed upon the Hyūga. "You think you could take me Hyūga? Well I assure you, I will bury you if you try. So don't push me."

Neji was unaffected. "And I assure you, I have faced worse things in my life than an incompetent shinobi."

Neji mentally cursed himself. He hadn't meant to take it this far. He had let his anger get the best of him. He was normally able to keep it in check, but the thought of his teammates in danger was enough to send him far over the edge of reason.

Lee looked nervously between the two jōnin, too smart to get involved. Neji knew Lee would back him up if push came to shove, but he sincerely hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Isamu stared long and hard at Neji, pure hatred rolling off of him in waves and crashing onto the Hyūga. Neji kept his stare like ice.

Isamu burst out laughing.

Neji stared. That had not been the reaction he was expecting.

Isamu grinned ferally at him. "You think you're so smart Hyūga? Well fine then. I'll just leave the mission in your hands and go back to the Leaf. I'll tell the Hokage about this little attack and I'll also be sure to tell her that this entire mission is on your head. Whatever happens from here on out—the mission, Toru—it's all on you Hyūga."

Neji kept his gaze cool, not giving an inch. "Agreed."

Isamu sneered at Neji. He reached into his pack and drew out the scroll he had been studying before. He handed it to Neji, who tucked it into his tan travel bag that he always carried on mission. Isamu gave Lee one last look of pure loathing, and then said, "Remember Hyūga… whatever happens." With that, he sprang off into the trees.

Lee stared after him for a moment. "That was…"

"Unavoidable," Neji supplied. He bowed his head, eyes drifting closed. "I never would have believed that one of the Leaf's shinobi would be so arrogant and foolish during a mission. If not for him, we would have been home by now."

"Did you not say that you had worked with him before?" Lee queried.

"Yes," Neji agreed. "But it was a few years ago, and Isamu was not the team leader at the time."

"I see," said Lee.

Neji frowned. The added weight to his pack sparked another sense of unease. This time, he didn't ignore it.

Lee noticed his look. "What is wrong?"

Neji blinked and shook his head. "I'm not sure. Isamu spent a long time looking over the scroll, even though it just has simple information on it. It's curious."

Lee nodded. "Indeed. It is also curious that four shinobi were sent on such a simple mission, for a scroll of little importance. Especially when two of those shinobi were jōnin."

"Hm." Normally, Neji would think that the scroll was of greater importance, and that the low mission level was a cover. But he had seen the scroll for himself. The information on it was hardly classified. Unless…

His fingers twitched. The desire to examine the scroll again, this time with his Byakugan was overwhelming, but he had something more important to do first.

"We need to find Toru as soon as possible," he said to Lee. "If we were attacked, then there is a strong possibility that Toru is in danger."

"Right! Where do we start?"

"The rendezvous point," Neji said. "That was where he was headed. And I have a feeling that's where the real trouble is going to happen."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just a quick note. This story is completely finished besides some proofreading and editing, which means I will most likely update regularly once a week. That will give me time to write the sequel, which I am currently working on.**

**A big thank you to those who left reviews! Reviews are like love. The world needs more love. Share the Love!**

* * *

Neji and Lee flew through the trees. Though the rain had stopped, the branches were still slick with lingering dampness, so Neji kept his chakra concentrated in the bottoms of his feet to keep from slipping. The air was chilled from the moisture, and it whipped their wet clothes, chilling them. Neji barely felt the cold. The gooseflesh on his skin and the shivers running down his spine were caused by something much more sinister. The closer he and Lee were to arriving at the rendezvous point, the worse his sense of wrongness grew. The scroll they were supposed to have delivered weighed him down like an unbearable burden. For this entire mission was based upon that scroll, yet it didn't justify what was happening to his team.

Toru was out there somewhere, perhaps safe, perhaps not, and it was Neji's responsibility to find him. If something had happened to the chūnin, Neji didn't think he would be able to forgive himself. Granted, he had not been named the team leader at the beginning of the mission, but he had seen right away that Isamu was a poor leader. Neji regretted holding his tongue on the matter. He should have stepped up and taken a more direct role in the mission, even if it went against protocol. Neji understood the need for a clear chain of command, and he fully supported following a superior's order, just as he would wish his subordinates to follow his. But if his desire to be a good ninja had jeopardized Toru's safety, then Neji didn't deserve to be a Jōnin.

And he certainly didn't deserve to be Toru's hero.

Neji shook his head, as though it could cast off the dark thoughts, and shifted the strap of his tan and black travel bag further onto his shoulder. There was no time to wallow in regret and doubt. Isamu was gone, on his way back to the Leaf. Neji needed to stay focused or he risked jeopardizing his friends even more. Activating his Byakugan, he did another scan of the forest.

No chakra signatures large enough to be a person. There was still only small animals and birds. The only difference now being that every one of those signatures was potentially a threat. And the way they were positioned in the forest was unnatural. Normally, they would be sporadic in their distance to one another, or else clustered in a group, depending on the kind of animal. But these creatures were abandoning animal instinct, positioning themselves so that they formed a grid, all equally spaced from one another. It was unnerving to say the least.

Neji briefly checked his speed, giving Lee a chance to come up beside him. "There are small signatures of chakra throughout this entire forest. And they are all behaving most unusually."

Lee hummed, thick brows drawing together in apparent agitation. "I have never before considered fluffy animals to be a foe."

"As of right now," Neji said, his tone grim, "everything but you and me is a foe."

They continued on for some time this way. Neji kept his Byakugan activated to make sure he and Lee stayed a safe distance away from potential harm. The animals remained stationary, though, still enough to go entirely unnoticed by human eyes. Only Neji's dōjutsu allowed him to perceive their locations and maneuver around them. It was nothing he hadn't done before, and in fact, with the forest still damp from the rain, it should have been much easier. But he found that his eyes were beginning to fatigue. There was a slight blurriness that he was forced to blink away. Lee didn't seem to notice anything unusual. He was grunting with effort. And what was more, he seemed to be slowing down, something that Neji had never seen before. It had him frowning over at the chūnin with concern.

A sudden horrifying thought struck Neji, and his blood turned to ice in his veins, chilling him in a way that the rain had failed to. "Lee, stop!"

They both landed on the next branch, the chakra in their feet stopping their forward momentum. Lee was panting, beads of perspiration dotting his face. "What's the matter, Neji?"

"You're tired."

"Never!" cried Lee, suddenly straightening up, fires blazing in his eyes. He made a face and clenched his right hand into a fist. "I will not let mere fatigue defeat me! With the burning power of youth, I shall continue this-"

"Lee!" Lee paused. "That's not what I meant."

"Oh." Lee deflated.

Neji closed his eyes, deactivating his jutsu. "What I meant was that you're _tired_. You of all people shouldn't be tired, not from a simple journey like this. And it's not just you. My eyes are becoming strained, much sooner than they should be." He opened his eyes again and saw confusion turn to sudden comprehension on Lee's face. "Something is stealing our energy."

Lee didn't respond right away. "This forest…" He looked off into the direction they were heading. "Something is going on in this forest."

"Yes," said Neji. He looked off into the distance as well. To where they were supposed to meet their client and to where he dearly hoped that Toru was waiting unharmed. He didn't need his kekkei genkai to know that both of those things were rapidly becoming very unlikely to happen. "From the moment we passed over the border of the Land of Fire and into the Land of Wood, I have felt uneasy. I believe more than ever that we are walking into a trap."

Lee's eyes flicked over to Neji's. "Do you think that the Land of Wood is responsible for the attack on us?"

"It seems unlikely to me," Neji murmured thoughtfully. "Though we never have been on the best of terms with Takigakure."

Lee dropped his eyes, worry shimmering in the dark irises. "I hope that Toru is safe at least."

"So do I." Neji rolled his shoulders, feeling the weight of his own guilt once again bear down upon him. "We should keep moving. Be aware of your strength. If you lose too much—"

"I understand," said Lee, his face a mask of grim determination. Neji's lips quirked upward at the familiar expression of his teammate. He expected nothing less.

They both sprang from their branch, once again pushing forward into what was most likely going to turn into a nasty battle.

* * *

They didn't have far to go. Neji spotted the clearing they were to meet in. He signaled to Lee, who nodded his comprehension. They closed the distance with extreme caution. Neji pushed past the ache that had settled behind his eyes. There was no time to take things easy, not with Toru's life on the line. But Neji's dōjutsu revealed no chakra signatures at all. Even the animal chakra, that had been consistent throughout their journey, had tapered off and then abruptly disappeared within the last mile they traveled. There was certainly no sign of their supposed client or missing teammate.

A devious design lurked in the shadows of this mission—an evil intent that was palpable. Neji could taste it in the air, and it twisted his stomach into a knot of anxiety. There was more going on than the eyes could perceive.

Even if those eyes were Neji's.

Lee and Neji stopped before they reached the clearing, choosing a place to perch where they had a clear line of sight to the ground and still remained hidden amongst the leaves.

Neji frowned. It was just too quiet. Too deserted. And where was Toru? He should have been near the area if everything had gone as planned.

Which, of course, it hadn't. At this point, they were about as far from "as planned" as it was possible to get.

"This area seems to be deserted," he whispered to his companion.

"Then we can assume that the enemy is near."

Neji's brows knit together in a frown. If that was true, then they were lurking outside the range of his kekkei genkai. Then again, the dimness of the Byakugan that Neji was currently battling didn't inspire confidence in his current abilities.

Lee scanned the area, round eyes narrowed in concentration. The clearing was fairly large, surrounded on all sides by the trees. A few rocks peppered the ground. One large boulder stood in what was roughly the center.

"It is an odd place for an information exchange," Lee commented.

"It's unlikely that it was ever planned to be the site of an exchange," said Neji. "I looks better suited for a battle."

Lee was still scanning the ground when his eyes suddenly widened. "What's that?"

Neji looked, but saw nothing. He frowned. "There's nothing there."

"It's Toru!" said Lee in a loud whisper.

"Toru?" Neji shook his head. "There's no chakra, Lee."

Lee looked at him, disbelief and concern mixing together in an odd expression. His face turned thoughtful as he studied the Hyūga. "Don't use the Byakugan."

Neji stared. "What?"

"Just trust me," Lee said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "Don't use the Byakugan."

Neji narrowed his eyes. He was beyond skeptical, but he had enough respect for Lee to give it a try. The chakra in his eyes receded until colors bled back into the picture, and the dull ache in his head disappeared. Once he had released his visual jutsu and taken another look at the clearing, he gasped. "What the-?"

Toru stood in the clearing. Alone, his entire upper body bound and a gag stuffed in his mouth, Toru looked in their direction with wide, pleading eyes.

"There was no chakra signature," Neji whispered. "I'm certain. There was no chakra."

Lee looked disturbed. "Perhaps it is a clone?"

Neji shook his head. "Or perhaps," he murmured, the sick feeling in his stomach growing until it threatened to choke him, "something is blocking my ability."

He felt blind, powerless. He couldn't trust what he was seeing, or wasn't seeing. Toru was bait, intended to lure them in, but Neji couldn't see what was on the other side of the line. He felt the tingle of panic begin to take root in his mind, something that he was usually able to push past. But this time was different.

Lee hummed. "Whatever the case, we must not let Toru suffer alone! Come on, Neji!" With a battle cry loud enough to alert the entire Land of Woods to their presence, he leapt into the clearing, a green and black blur.

"Lee, don't!" Neji growled in frustration. Why didn't anyone ever listen to him?

And by anyone, he meant Lee and Naruto.

* * *

Lee leaped from his cover in the trees with a joyous cry, reveling in the feeling of the air whipping around his body. He felt the freedom that came with charging ahead, and the adrenalin rush of the anticipation of a battle. The hot-bloodedness reinvigorated him and sent strength surging back to his fatigued muscles. He landed in a crouch beside Toru. The poor boy looked close to panic, though Lee could also see relief in his eyes. Lee felt the energy wafting off the ropes that bound the boy. Chakra enhanced binds. Clever. Only something like the Gentle Fist could sever them.

But that was the least of Lee's problems.

No sooner had Lee landed than he was surrounded. A ring of shinobi appeared, seeming to melt from the trees surrounding the clearing. Neji had not followed him, which meant that his daring leap into the unknown had been too impulsive for his youthful rival.

Lee remained in his crouch and surveyed his enemies. They all wore forehead protectors of various villages, all with a deep scratch through the middle. _Rogue shinobi then_, thought Lee. He felt the excitement of battle humming in his blood. He had not thought that he would have a chance to hone his battle skills during the mission, but he was extremely glad that he had been wrong. He turned to Toru, grinning. He stood and tugged the gag out of the boy's mouth, the only thing he could do for Toru at the moment.

"Just stay by that boulder, Toru. Neji and I shall handle these foes! With the burning power youth!" He struck the nice Guy pose, with a thumbs up and his signature dazzling smile.

Toru looked a bit confused, but his eyes shone with trust as he nodded and hastened to do as he was told. Lee nodded in approval.

Lee turned to his opponents and hit his signature battle stance. Left hand behind his back, right hand extended towards the enemy. He put on his serious face. "Now!" he cried. "Prepare to be defeated!"

They said nothing. But they did attack as a cohesive unit. They may have all sported different hitai-ate, but they had obviously worked together for some time. Lee smirked. They weren't the only ones.

He launched immediately into his taijutsu. "Severe Leaf Hurricane!"

His heel crashed into the skull of a former rock ninja with a sickening crunch. Lee used the momentary support to spin and drive his fist into the enemy behind him. He heard the whiz of a kunai as it passed his head, missing by inches. Lee landed and drove forward with a barrage of kicks and strikes that forced the enemy back.

Realizing quickly that they could not go against him using taijutsu, they regrouped. A new attack came.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"

Lee didn't get the chance to leap out of the way.

"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"

The thick concentration of chakra cut through the ball of fire, dispersing it. Neji landed in front of Lee, palm extended flat towards the enemy shinobi.

"You're as impulsive as ever, Lee," Neji said, his voice full of reproach.

"I am sorry, Neji. It goes against my youthful nature to do anything less than give one hundred percent!" Lee was unable to keep the grin out of his voice, even as he was forced to turn and block the enemy's new attack.

"Hm," grunted Neji. He drove his palm into a grass ninja's sternum, cracking it and stopping his heart in one blow. The ninja was dead before he hit the ground. "You've been spending too much time with Naruto. I don't know who's rubbing off on whom anymore."

Lee laughed. His roundhouse kick caught another opponent, sending them straight into Neji's waiting Gentle Fist attack.

"This is exactly what they wanted, Lee," Neji continued, throwing the incapacitated ninja into one of his own comrades. "It was a trap from the very beginning."

"If it is a trap, then it is a very poor trap," said Lee, skidding along the earth in a slide, right up to a rogue Hidden Mist shinobi, driving his foot up into his chin and sending him flying.

"Don't drop your guard!" Neji snapped, deflecting a rain of shuriken with a hand gloved in chakra. "We've been playing right into their hands with every move we've made!" A second wave of shuriken and kunai had him cursing and falling into "Rotation!" He pulled out of it and drew a kunai of his own.

Lee frowned, ducking down automatically as Neji threw the kunai over Lee's head and straight into the opponent that had been rushing towards him.

"But what is their goal?" Lee blocked a vicious strike aimed at his head. He gripped the arm and did a backflip, twisting the offending appendage until it broke. Keeping hold of the arm, he drove both feet into the ninja's chest in a mule kick, letting the arm go as the ninja sailed away in a high arc. He landed on his back and immediately pushed into a kip-up, taking up battle stance once again.

Neji dodged a fire-style jutsu with ease, using the smoke to hide the path of his kunai as he flung them. Two thuds confirmed that they had found their targets.

He landed close to Lee. "I don't know. But being defeated by us is not part of it."

There was only one shinobi left. He looked at them warily, shifting from one foot to the other, eyes darting around the clearing to the bodies of his fallen comrades.

Neji scoffed. He raised a palm. "Air Palm!"

The ninja went flying, spinning through the air in some twisted acrobatic display, until his body was thrown into a tree with spine-snapping force, and he moved no more.

With the battle over, the adrenalin wore off, leaving Lee light headed and shaky. He dropped to one knee, winded. "That took more than I thought it would."

Neji also appeared weakened. He pressed his hands to his eyes, dropping them after a moment. "Your strength, my vision… both were weakened somehow."

Lee panted. He was not used to feeling so weak—not since the first few days of wearing his ankle weights. It was distressing to him. He could imagine how Neji felt, with his vision failing him.

Lee felt Neji stiffen. He looked up in concern. "What?"

"Look." Neji gestured to the tree line.

Lee followed his line of sight, eyes widening. "Oh dear. That does not look good."

Where the enemy shinobi had stood before the attack, a new circle of foes had appeared. These, however, were not human. A circle of forest animals watched them with dark eyes. Deer, squirrels, rabbits, even a snake of two—they all stood perfectly still, unperturbed by the havoc around them or the two shinobi who stood in the middle of it.

Neji growled low and deep in his throat, his hands balling into fists. "Show yourself!"

Lee threw his teammate a curious glance. He wondered for a moment if Neji's eyes were making him see things, the same way he hadn't been able to see Toru. Lee looked behind him to check on the kid. Toru was by the boulder as Lee had told him to be. He looked scared and nervous but also trusting. Lee gave him a tight-lipped smile and a small nod.

When a voice from the trees chuckled in reply to Neji, Lee started and turned back around, eyes wide. "Well now, very clever of you to spot me."

A man stepped out from behind a tree. No, Lee realized. He materialized out of the tree, the same way the other rogue shinobi had. He had a wide smile and greasy hair that hung in a dark curtain around his face. And his eyes… they were pure darkness. Lee felt even more drained looking at them.

This man, unlike the others, bore no hitai-ate.

"How did you know he was there?" Lee asked Neji.

Neji's pale eyes narrowed. "From the very beginning, I knew that someone had to be controlling those animals," he said quietly to Lee. "Once I realized that I could no longer trust my eyes, it was a simple matter of deduction." Raising his voice, he addressed the other man. "What have you done? Is this your jutsu? Do you suck out chakra?" Lee was surprised. Could that be the reason that his strength was failing him?

"Well now, you _are _the clever one now aren't you? Quite a surprise. But still, no, you're not quite there yet. I don't take people's chakra. What would be the fun in that?"

Lee grunted. Second by second, he felt his strength leaving him, as though being in the mere presence of this man was sucking away his energy. Which, he told himself, it probably was. His limbs were beginning to shake. "What about the animals?"

The man turned to look at the creatures surrounding them. "Oh yes, them." He indulged them with a smile. "They're quite good aren't they? Though not quite complete yet."

His words didn't make sense. Lee couldn't process the nonsensical statement. The words felt like mud sloshing around in his mind. Lee's brain was slowing down, his body fatiguing as it never had before. He grunted, slowly slipping to the ground.

The man grinned. "I think you two are ready."

"Neji," Lee whispered.

"Lee! Stay alert!"

"I am… sorry." Lee collapsed fully, his body refusing to respond to his commands. "I cannot move."

Neji growled, but looked unsteady on his feet as well. The man was drawing closer.

"Neji…" The world was growing black. The sky darkened, the ground growing closer. His body felt heavier. He briefly wondered about Toru, and if Neji could manage on his own. But that was silly. Of course Neji could manage. The darkness felt so comforting.

"ROTATION!"

And Lee remembered no more.

* * *

"Damn brats," Isamu spat as he trudged along the forest floor, kicking up loose topsoil and pebbles and scaring ever bird within two hundred feet of him. "They think they know so much just 'cause they fought in a war? They haven't seen nothing. No respect."

He growled low in his throat, a slew of curses on the tip of his tongue, but with no one around to hear them, he didn't quite see the point of expending the energy. It would take him a while to get back to the Leaf, even longer considering that he was walking. But with three cracked ribs and a nasty concussion, Isamu didn't feel like taking the route through the trees. He was miserable enough on the ground, where he could at least regulate his breathing with much more ease. Flying along at top speed was not appealing.

He threw a short glance over his shoulder in the direction the two infants had gone in search of the newborn. He snorted, facing forward again. The mission was on their heads now—he held no part in it anymore, and certainly no responsibility.

All the same, he couldn't help but wonder…

He came to a sudden halt when a soft _snap!_ reached his ears. Slowly he turned, and as he did his eyes widened, mouth dropping open in shock. He was frozen in place.

_"You."_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Gah. I'm sorry this is a week late. I was in California last weekend and was swamped during the week. Sumimasen.**

**But I'm back! I'm not as happy with this chapter, but oh well. Hopefully you won't hate it, and if there's anything I can make better, then just leave a review *wink wink***

**And one more thing. Did anyone read the latest chapter of the manga? At first I was like, ****_What? He's alive? Okay._**** And then at the end I was like, ****_WHAAAAAATTT? NO FRIGGIN WAY._**

**One more one more thing. Thank you to the cool people who reviewed, favorited, and followed. Arigato!**

* * *

_Neji could not feel anything except for the heaviness of the darkness that encompassed him. He heard the faint whisper of voices, but he could not tell where they were coming from or what they were saying. His eyes were so heavy, he could not manage to open them. And he did not want to. The darkness was so comforting, so warm. He felt safe in its embrace and he didn't want to leave. He knew if he left, that he would only find pain and misery and a cage to hold him. So he let the darkness wash over him completely, and he was glad._

* * *

The view from the Hokage's office was nearly unchanged from when Tsunade first took up the mantle nearly six years ago. Only subtle changes even hinted at the damage done to the village. Its complete destruction at the hands of Pain had forced them to recreate their home as best they could, and though the structures were all near duplicates, they all looked and felt _new._ There was nothing left of the familiar feelings that Tsunade had always felt in the village of her birth. Her old haunts were not the same ones that she had visited with her brother or with Dan. They were still there, but they were not _hers. _ She could no longer wander and let the ghosts of memories seep into her just from standing in the same spot she had thirty years ago.

Her hand reached up to her neck, fingers ghosting over bare skin. Even her grandfather's necklace had been destroyed. That last relic of her past had been shattered.

The only thing that truly remained the same, in Tsunade's opinion, was the sky that draped over her village. It was the same brilliant blue that it had been when she was just a child. No matter what seemed to happed, the sky remained the same. The land could be charred and the earth cracked, the ground saturated in blood, but the sky would be the same.

Of course, it wasn't so very long ago that that very sky had been filled with a blood red moon, and everyone underneath it had become its slaves.

She shivered. They had come so far—weathered so much. How could they still be sustaining losses? Had they not paid enough in blood to settle their debt with fate? Would the cost of the War continue to haunt them even now?

Of course it would. Because the cost of war could never truly be paid—not until their shinobi world came to an end.

The Hokage let out a long, sorrowful sigh through her nose. "A week overdue," She whispered to herself. "And no word at all."

She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. A gnawing worry that would not abate. The team she had sent out was completely competent and capable. Neji Hyūga was one of her top Jōnin, utterly reliable. He would not have kept her in the dark. If they were going to be delayed, he would have sent word somehow. She had built a strong team, with Neji and Lee at the heart. They were both decorated heroes of the war; both worked well together. Paired with an experienced Jōnin and an eager young chūnin, they should have had no problem.

A knock at her door interrupted her depressing thoughts. She swiveled round to the door and schooled her face into a neutral mask. "Come in," she called out.

The old Team 8 entered. Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyūga, and Akamaru the ninken.

Tsunade surveyed the team. They had become perhaps the strongest tracker team she had at her disposal, and the fact that it would be their friends they were tracking down would only serve to drive them.

Of course, at the moment, none of them looked exactly pleased. Kiba looked bored, as though he had much better things to be doing. Shino looked as he always did—which wasn't much of anything. And Hinata looked distinctly worried. But of course, it was her cousin that was missing. Hinata had visited the Hokage earlier in the week with questions of her cousin's whereabouts. Tsunade had been more irritated then concerned at that point, and she had unfortunately sent the poor girl away with little more than a brusque chastisement.

Now, Tsunade felt guilty about that, and Hinata looked like she knew exactly what was going on and why they had been called in.

"You wanted to see us, Lady Hokage?" Shino asked in his throaty monotone.

Tsunade sighed. "Yes, I did." She leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands, pursing her lips. "I have an important assignment for you. You are all highly skilled trackers. I need you to track down a team that has gone missing. Time is of the essence I feel you will have the highest chance of success."

Her words had different effects on all of the members. Shino cocked his head a millimeter. Hinata closed her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her.

And Kiba was completely oblivious to the atmosphere.

"No problem!" The Inuzuka said with a canine grin, baring his elongated fangs in a smug smile. "Me and Akamaru are the best tracker team out there! We'll find your missing team."

"This missing team," Shino said, completely ignoring Kiba's enthusiasm. "Am I right in assuming that we are familiar with its members?"

Hinata made a little choked sound in her throat.

Tsunade sighed again. "I'm afraid so. That's another reason that I am assigning this mission to your team. A little over a week ago, I sent Isamu Fujihara, Neji Hyūga, Rock Lee, and Toru Hayagawa on a simple delivery mission. They were due back days ago at the latest, and no word has been heard from them."

"Whoa, Lee and Neji?" Kiba asked, blinking in surprise. "But they're two of the best! How could they just go missing?"

"I don't know," the Hokage admitted. "But there have been a disturbing number of reports about rogue ninja in the surrounding areas. I want you to pick up their trail and figure out what happened. If this is indeed the work of rogue shinobi, then we need to be prepared for demands."

Kiba looked shocked.

"D-demands?" Hinata asked, looking up finally, pale eyes wide and frightened.

Tsunade nodded. "If the team is still alive, we may be able to barter their lives back."

Hinata went very pale.

"We will find them," Shino promised.

"Good." This had better work.

* * *

They had not found them.

And they were nowhere _near_ finding them.

Kiba sniffed the air. Akamaru sniffed the ground.

The dog-nin grumbled in his throat. "It's no good. It's been too long. And even if there was still a trail, it rained here last week. I can't pick up their scent."

Shino looked at him. Or at least Kiba _assumed_ he was looking at him. He couldn't really tell with those damn glasses.

"I already explained to you that your nose would be ineffective in this situation," Shino said coolly. "We need to rely on my insects and Hinata's eyes."

"Shut up," Kiba growled. "If I can't sniff them, then what can your bugs do?"

"My insects can be spread out over a wide area," said Shino. "And they can detect the smallest traces of chakra. But you already know this."

Kiba glared, a rebuttal in the form of a few choice curse words already on the tip of his tongue, when Hinata spoke.

"Please, stop," she said in barely more than a whisper, her lavender tinted orbs wide and teary.

It stopped Kiba in his tracks. Remorse bubbled up in his and he turned away from Shino, crossing his arms. "Man, this is starting to smell as bad as the Sasuke retrieval mission."

"This is nothing like that," said Shino. "Why? Because you have me with you this time."

Kiba turned to look at him pointedly. "Dude, it's been like six years. Let. It. Go."

Shino turned away, completely ignoring the Inuzuka. "We should keep going. If we continue on this path, we will reach the rendezvous point that the team was on their way to."

"Yeah, but for all we know, they could have been captured or killed on the way there," Kiba pointed out.

Hinata paled dramatically.

Kiba's eyes widened. He held up his hands, backtracking wildly. "I mean, no! They probably got there safe and sound! There's nothing to be worried about! Right Akamaru?"

The dog cocked his head, reproach in his dark eyes.

Great. Even his dog thought he was a jerk now.

Shino turned his head towards the Inuzuka. "Your sensitivity to others feelings never fails to astound me."

"Hey, shut up!" said Kiba. "You're one to talk! You wouldn't know sensitive if it ripped your hood off your face!"

"Your words only serve to give credence to my statement." He turned away. "We should go. Time is of the essence." He sprang off into the trees, leaving Kiba to gape after him. Hinata glanced over at him before following Shino.

She had been even more quiet than usual on this mission. And there was definitely the air of worry lingering about her. No one could blame her. She and Neji had become extremely close over the years, and the war seemed to only have strengthened their bond. Hinata was the only one who could warm Neji Hyūga's ice-cold heart. And she was the only one he ever smiled at.

Kiba felt even worse for his earlier words. Neji didn't deserve anyone speaking so flippantly of his death. He and Kiba weren't best buddies or anything, but they had grown closer during the war. The Hyūga wasn't that bad, once you were able to get past his holier-than-thou attitude.

Kiba felt something wet hit his hand. He looked down. Akamaru was nuzzling his hand, but he looked up at him with soulful eyes when he felt his master's stare. Kiba sighed, stretching his hand to rub at Akamaru's head. "Yeah buddy. I _can_ be a real jerk, sometimes. But I'll only ever admit it to you."

The ninken barked, tongue lolling out of his mouth and tail wagging. Kiba mounted the dog, and together they trailed after their team.

He caught up easily, though he remained at the back. As much as he hated to admit it, his nose would not be of use in tracking this time. The only thing he could do was sniff out any potential threats to his group. He needed to rely on his teammates to find the missing shinobi, just as they could rely on him to watch their backs.

Hinata gasped suddenly, startling Kiba. Her Byakugan eyes darted to somewhere in the forest. All four of them stopped abruptly.

"What is it?" asked Shino.

"Something's not right," she whispered and took off again in a sudden dash.

"Hinata!" Kiba clung to Akamaru's back as the dog jumped after her, Shino on the ninken's heels.

"What's she thinking?" Kiba asked.

"She obviously saw something." Shino's insects had started buzzing around him, leaving the protection of his body in apparent agitation.

Kiba frowned. "Why're your insects acting up? Is there chakra ahead?"

"I'm not sure," said Shino. He leapt ahead of Kiba.

It was only a moment later when it hit Kiba's nose. The smell was sharp and pungent and unlike anything he had ever smelled before.

"Whoa!" he gasped, wrinkling his nose. "Something smells funky."

"I can see something ahead," said Hinata just in front of them, her Byakugan eyes narrowing. "It looks like a bomb went off."

Shino's insects were buzzing more erratically. "If that's the case, then it was no ordinary bomb."

Kiba frowned. "How can you tell?"

Shino passed him to fly beside Hinata.

"Nice talking to you too," Kiba muttered.

"Kiba, come on!" Hinata's voice was edged with panic. Not a good sign.

It only took a minute to reach the spot. Hinata hadn't been kidding. It did look like a bomb went off, and a doozy at that. Everything in a ten meter radius was completely charred black. Still, Kiba would have thought it was a regular paper bomb, except for the fact that his olfactory senses were going crazy. He was practically gagging on the strange smell. It wasn't often that he encountered something so disturbing and foreign. He didn't like it one bit.

He wasn't the only one though. Shino's insects were going nuts as well.

"There was a massive surge of chakra here," the insect user told them. He face was even more obscured from the black swarm circling his body. "I don't know where it came from, but it seems it was incredibly powerful, to be this strong after so many days. Also, to have this much damage, there must have been an unusual amount of heat."

Akamaru sniffed the ground around the blast area, where the ground wasn't so damaged. He whined when he found something. Kiba reached down but found nothing. His nose however told a different story.

"I smell burnt hair. Kinda smells like Neji, but it's really faint."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Neji-niisan?"

Oh great. He'd probably just made her think that Neji was, well… floating as ashes in the air somewhere.

Shino saved him from another attempt at taking his words back. "I don't believe that any members of the team were harmed." He turned his head slightly. "If they had been, my insects would be able to sense it."

"And me," Kiba said sulkily.

Shino ignored him.

Again.

It was like he didn't even exist.

Kiba glowered at the Aburame. "They may have been here, before, but they're gone now," said Kiba. "We should keep going."

Shino was still standing at the center of the blast radius, his insects buzzing around him.

"Oi! Shino! Did you hear me? They aren't here anymore!"

"I know," said Shino. "I believe I just confirmed that a moment ago." Slowly, his insects returned to him.

Kiba growled. He was not having a good day at all.

Hinata looked very worried. She turned her face away from her two companions so they wouldn't see the fear in her eyes. "Neji-niisan," she whispered to the trees, wishing they could tell her what had happened, and if she would ever see her brother again.

* * *

"Man, how far did those guys go?" Kiba groaned. "We've been traveling for ages."

"Considering that you're riding on Akamaru, it doesn't seem that you have anything to complain about."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" the dog-nin demanded.

"Please, don't fight," Hinata pleaded. She was between the two of them, long hair fanning out behind her as they continued on to the rendezvous site. "We need to focus on finding the team. We don't have time to fight with each other."

"We aren't fighting," Kiba said, slightly cowed by the firmness in her voice.

"That is how he always speaks," Shino agreed. "He cannot help himself."

It was only for Hinata's sake that Kiba held his tongue. He switched to a safer topic. "This whole thing smells funky. If they were attacked back there, why did they keep going?"

"Obviously to finish the mission," Shino answered.

Kiba huffed. "Yeah well, it obviously didn't work out so well for them, did it?"

"We won't know until we reach the destination."

And reach the destination they did. It only took about two hundred years by Kiba's estimation. He was seriously considering making the journey home on his own two feet. His butt was sore from all the sitting.

The Hokage had given them the details of the missing team's mission before team 8 had left, including the isolated location of the meeting place. On the map, it had looked to be a strange place for a delivery, but in person, it was even stranger. The rendezvous point was a clearing in the middle of the forest, nowhere near a road or village of any kind. But that wasn't the strangest part.

As they looked out at it from their vantage point in the trees encircling the clearing, they were all astonished. Hinata gasped. What was once a clearing had evidently become a battle ground. The earth was torn up and cracked in multiple areas. Some of the trees surrounding it were damaged, their trunks and branches cracked and splintered. There were a dozen circular craters spread throughout the ground, perfectly uniform and symmetrical.

And above all else, the distinct smell of blood.

Ignoring that disturbing scent, Kiba spoke quietly. "That looks like it was caused by Neji's rotation." He motioned to the craters.

Hinata let out a strangled cry and, without warning, darted into the clearing, crying, "Niisan!"

"Hey Hinata!" Kiba yelled. "We don't know what's out there!"

"Then perhaps we should go look," said Shino, following Hinata.

"This is not happening," groaned Kiba. "No one listens to me." He sighed and darted after them.

The damage to the clearing was more pronounced up close, as was the smell of blood. Kiba wrinkled his nose and Akamaru raised his hackles slightly. There may have been blood, but there were no bodies. Not enemies; not the missing team. Shino had his insects buzzing around the clearing, but from what Kiba could see and smell, whoever had been here was long gone, Neji and Lee included.

As Akamaru dutifully made his way around the area, hunting for friends and foes alike, Kiba glanced over at the female member of their team, wondering if she might be able to see something they could not. But Hinata was completely absorbed. She crouched down, close to the ground. Her hands tentatively reached out towards something. An object. She picked it up gingerly with both hands. Kiba strode over and leaned over her shoulder to look.

"Hey, isn't that-" he started.

Hinata trembled. "Neji-niisan's headband."

The metal plate, with the Leaf symbol, was splattered with dried blood.

Hinata let out a little sob. "Niisan," she whispered and then fainted.

"Whoa!" Kiba caught her before she hit the ground. "Aww man, not again. Hinata! Wake up!"

"Kiba." Kiba gave a little start and looked up at Shino. He hadn't heard him approach. The Aburame seemed completely unconcerned, but Kiba had known him long enough to detect the waves of tension rolling through him. "I cannot detect anything beyond this area. Can you track where they went from here?"

Kiba shook his head, shifting the unconscious kunoichi in his arms and standing up, cradling her against his chest. "The only thing I can smell is blood. Their trail is long gone."

"I see." Shino shifted an inch. "In that case, there is nothing more we can do here. We need to get Hinata back to the village and report to the Hokage."

For once, Kiba agreed completely. He gave a short nod, looking down at Hinata. Even unconscious, she looked worried.

"Right," he said, feeling the disappointment in their failure and the guilt that they had not been able to put their comrade's mind at ease. But Shino was right. There was nothing more they could do.

They prepared to leave, but Kiba took one last look around. Because underneath the overwhelming scent of blood, he could smell that same sharp odor he had smelled back at the blast site.

What on earth was going on?

* * *

_ It was a night like any other. The stars winked down at Neji from their home in the heavens, one by one appearing and growing brighter. The four-year-old grinned up at them in delight. He had long ago made friends with them. He even knew a lot of their names, or at least, the ones that had names. He would greet each one as he saw it, hanging out of his bedroom window in childish glee. His father had taught him about the stars, and Neji knew it must be important if his father had taught it to him._

_Neji hummed a little tune, kicking his legs against the bed he was kneeling on. His father had gone out earlier for some reason, when they both really should have gone to bed. But father knew what he was doing. Neji didn't need anyone to watch him. He wasn't a baby anymore. And the stars would watch over him. The same way that Neji's mother watched over him from Heaven._

_Neji frowned up at the sky in sudden thought. He had liked the thought that his mother could still see him, but it must get awfully boring for her watching him all the time. He hoped she was watching over other people too. _

_The stars made their lazy circle across the sky, never resting. Hours passed by, and Neji counted every moment._

_His father wasn't home yet._

_The four-year-old cast his gaze towards the clock on the little table beside his bed. It was past three in the morning. If his father did not return soon, then dawn would come before him. Neji had stayed up all night before, and he wasn't even very tired now. But the sudden anxious feeling that spread through his chest gave the child pause. He had never felt worry like this before. _

_And then there was a knock on the door._

_Light shifted. Darkness swirled around him in a mist, covering him in a warm heaviness._

_Neji found himself running through a hall, small chest heaving and eyes as wide and white as the moon. He burst into the room at the end of the hall, where several clan members kneeled around the long body on the floor. It was covered by a gray shroud, but Neji didn't need to see the face to know who it was._

_He threw himself down onto the body, tears falling freely down his face. He let out a desperate sob, but no one made a move to comfort him. _

_Darkness swirled._

_Blood sprayed from his little cousin's mouth._

_An orange spark tore at the walls in his heart._

_His uncle bowed to him._

_An arrow pierced his side._

_The ten-tails shook the earth._

_Neji's father smiled at him._

Neji's eyes snapped open with a jolt. Sucking in a harsh breath, cutting deep into his chest as he gasped. Haunting images stole across his mind in a tauntingly slow arc. Memories of that night clinging to his feverish skin and sinking daggers into his heart.

But that was all they were. Memories.

Neji blinked in the darkness, chest still heaving from the nightmare. The pain in his lungs faded slowly with each breath, but the pain in his heart would not abate. Scars had been torn, old wounds revisited. He hadn't had that particular dream in years. Not since he forgave his uncle at the chūnin exams. So why had it returned?

Neji was disconcerted to still be in such darkness. It was a thick presence. The darkness surrounded him, pressing into him, choking him, threatening to suffocate him. Neji struggled to push past the panic that being in darkness elicited, turning to his other senses to ground him. The air was stale and dank with moisture—a musty smell. His tongue darted out to moisten his parched lips, and he tasted the coppery tang of blood. His fingers curled into the ground, scratching at earth. It was soft, but packed tightly.

A sharp pain shot across his eyes, white hot and as sudden as lightning. Neji had to hold in his cry of pain. He brought a hand up to cup his eyes, as though he could push the pain away, but he frowned as his hand brushed his skin. He reached up a little higher and felt nothing.

His hitai-ate was missing.

Neji growled in frustration. Of everything that had to happen, that seemed to be the most troublesome.

Whatever situation he was in wasn't good. They were most likely in another nation, perhaps not even the Land of Woods anymore. The likelihood of being found was low. The likelihood of escaping without assistance was low.

Neji swallowed thickly. They only had one chance left.

Isamu. If he had reached the Leaf, then there was a chance that they could still get out of this.

There was also the possibility that Isamu was dead.

And in that case, the rest of them would most likely end up dead as well.

* * *

_**What happened to Isamu? Where is Neji? Why did a fluffy rabbit explode? Why does Shino wear glasses? **_

_**All will be revealed...**_

_**Someday ;)**_


	5. Chapter 5

In the world of shinobi, sleep was something that was considered both necessary and dangerous. Necessary to restore depleted chakra reserves as well as to let any injuries heal. Sleep rested the body and the mind, allowing for a shinobi to function in a much higher capacity than he otherwise would have been able to.

Dangerous because sleep was when one was most vulnerable. In the few brief hours that a shinobi needed to recuperate, he would be left completely defenseless, unable to see approaching danger or prevent it. He left himself wide open for any potential enemies to strike.

A good shinobi would therefore train himself to sense any disturbances around him, even while he slept. This meant that most shinobi were light sleepers, and the slightest noise or fluctuation in chakra could wake them and have them springing into immediate action. This in turn meant that they were not always able to get the deep, restful sleep that their bodies needed, and it was only their skill and years of experience that sometimes kept them going when their bodies were exhausted (this had proven very helpful during the war, when time for sleep decreased every day as they were forced to push themselves to their limits and beyond. They had run on pure adrenalin).

Lee was not one of these shinobi.

Lee's intense method of training always used up every ounce of strength that he possessed, every day. So when Lee slept, it was as deep as the sleep of the dead.

But this wasn't a problem for him. Lee had developed the unique ability to be in a state of battle readiness even in the deepest of sleep. He had fought unconscious more times than he could count (especially since he didn't remember a single instance… being unconscious and all). This meant that Lee was consistently able to get a deep restful sleep and wake up refreshed and ready to attack the day with all the fervor and gusto of Guy Sensei.

Which was why, when Lee suddenly jolted awake, feeling drained and sick, he was thrown into confusion.

Darkness pressed into him, and tried in vain to blink it away before realizing that it really was just that dark. He tried to move, but found that simple task nearly impossible. A heavy weight seemed to be pressing down on his chest, though his eyes told him there was nothing there. Drawing in breath felt as though he had a wet cloth pressed over his mouth and nose, and he had to suck in air slowly.

Everything felt heavy, everything felt wrong, and the churning in his gut did nothing to help the matter.

In short, Lee had never felt worse in his entire life. Not even when he had been crippled in his very first chūnin exams when he went head to head with Gaara. A deeply unpleasant memory, and one he never quite cared to revisit no matter how many insights he could gain, but at least then he had been able to _move_.

Or, as he had later been told, get up and attempt to fight the future Kazekage once again. Just another great example of his deep fighting instincts.

And now, here he was, struggling just to draw breath.

He felt deeply ashamed, and was briefly glad that Guy Sensei wasn't there to see him in such a state. He had worked his entire life to become stronger. So where was his strength now, when he needed it?

Lee managed to suck in one large breath, and immediately wished he hadn't. The air sent sudden stabs of pain through his chest. His heart contracted painfully, blood the texture of mud flowing through veins, struggling to deliver oxygen to starved muscles. Tendrils of agony shot through his bones, piercing the dark veil that had clouded his mind. He was suddenly wide awake, though before he had been unaware that he hadn't been.

But now he could see that the darkness of before was not nearly so suffocating as he had thought. There was a dim flickering light dancing on dirt walls.

Lee was not satisfied just lying there like a dead man. Slowly, he curled his fingers, the most movement he could manage at first. And then slowly, arduously, he moved more and more, pushing himself into a sitting position and scooting so that his back was against the wall.

The brief journey had cost him what little energy he had and left his gasping for breath. Sweat trickled down his brow and stung his eyes.

"You're awake."

Lee's head snapped up at the sound of the hushed voice. Directly across from him, sat Neji. Alive, which was the most important thing in Lee's opinion. Lee had been so focused on his task of moving that he hadn't even noticed the jōnin's presence in the small room. And now that he really looked, he was surprised at himself. Besides a small stool with a oil lamp on it, the room was bare, occupied only by the two leaf shinobi.

"Neji," Lee rasped happily, wincing as his dry lips cracked. He probed them with a thick, cottony feeling tongue, and tasted blood. "What happened?"

Neji drew his left leg up to his chest and draped his forearm across it but didn't answer. Lee furrowed his brows.

"Neji?"

Neji looked at Lee blankly and then turned away, long hair falling forward and shielding his face. That was when Lee noticed the missing hitai-ate.

Neji had always had a sore spot when his curse seal was concerned, but it wasn't as though Lee hadn't seen it before. Surely, that wasn't what was bugging him?

Lee frowned. "What happened, Neji?" he repeated.

Neji blew out a long breath. Lee saw his hands curl into fists, tight enough to turn the knuckles white.

Neji took a while to answer, and when he did, it was without emotion—a dead tone.

"We were captured," Neji said quietly, and the undercurrent of deep fury in his voice was unsettling. Lee felt another painful stab of remorse as he remembered the last moments of their battle, when he had been unable to do anything except lie on the ground.

"Neji," Lee choked out, "I am the one responsible for what happened. I do not deserve to be called a shinobi."

"Don't be ridiculous, Lee," Neji chided, turning his dull gaze back onto Lee. "It was in no way your fault."

"But how else could you have been defeated if not because of me?" Lee cried, desperation coloring his voice. "We took out all those rogue shinobi, and yet you were defeated by one man?"

"That man… is no ordinary shinobi. We would have been defeated no matter what." Neji sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, letting his eyes drift shut. "We played right into his hands from the very beginning. We didn't stand a chance."

Lee frowned, thoughts becoming even more confused, though he was glad that Neji at least didn't blame him. "Who was that man? And what power does he possess? I remember in the clearing, you said he was channeling our chakra?"

"Hn. I don't know who he is, and I don't know exactly what power he possesses. I have a few theories, but I am fairly certain that he wasn't channeling our chakra."

"Then what?"

"I believe," and Neji grimaced, "that his jutsu is much more complicated than that. And much more powerful."

Lee hesitated, a sudden thought occurring to him. "I still feel as though I have no strength, and it is incredibly difficult to move. Does this man have something to do with it?"

"Most likely," Neji sighed. "As I said, I have a theory. I believe that his jutsu has the ability to… well, suck out a person's strength."

Lee blinked. He hummed thoughtfully. "You mean physical strength? That would certainly make sense. Did he do the same to you?"

Neji winced slightly before he managed to catch himself. "Not exactly." He sighed in resignation. "When I say strength, I don't necessarily mean physical strength. That just happens to be your greatest strength. No, what I mean is individual strength. The very essence of what makes someone a powerful ninja. His jutsu targets each of us uniquely, taking our greatest assets."

"So he took my strength." Lee's heart skipped a beat. "Neji, what did he take from you?"

No answer.

"Neji," Lee pressed, feeling increasingly panicky as seconds dragged by with no answer from his comrade. _It just couldn't be_.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Neji lifted his head from the wall and opened his eyes, pinning Lee with dull, blank eyes. "In the clearing, after you passed out," said Neji with an equally dull tone, "I used Rotation until I was out of chakra. I couldn't see him or sense him. He took my kekkei genkai."

* * *

Shikamaru had thought that his day could not get any worse. He was wrong.

He had woken up at exactly 6:29 that morning, despite it being his day off and therefore not having an alarm to usher him out of bed. He had been groggy, sleep-deprived, and all-in-all _not in the mood_, when he heard the sound of his mother answering the door—

For Ino.

Shikamaru had been through his bedroom window before the women's first hello's had been exchanged.

He didn't have a problem with Ino... not usually. He loved Ino like a sister, trusted her implicitly in battle, and would fight to the ends of the earth for her.

But hell would freeze over before he enjoyed one of Ino's recently created and dubbed "Deep-Discussion-Bonding-Sessions".

If one of those sessions was torture, and the second was death, then Shikamaru obviously had more lives than a damn cat.

And he just couldn't take any more.

Everyone grieved in different ways. Ino's was to become incredible chipper and pretend that nothing was wrong. What was worse though, was that she had become increasingly clingy in her chipper-ness, and she felt that Shikamaru, who was a fellow griever, deserved an extra dose of said chipper-ness. This led her to corner him every couple of days and try to extract deep feelings from him or trick him into spilling his soul to the world. And it really didn't help that she was working on her mind reading jutsu.

So Shikamaru didn't want to be anywhere near the blonde when she would inevitably bombard him with an "I know how you feel" or a "You can't hide it, Shikamaru", all accompanied by the biggest, most unrealistic grin he had ever seen. He had put up with it for a while...

But he was just _not in the mood_ at six-freaking-thirty in the morning.

Chōji could deal with it today. The Akimichi wouldn't mind at all.

So Shikamaru had fled, without even eating, and found himself meandering through the village with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Normally, he might be inclined to visit his best friend…

But that was _definitely_ where Ino was headed next.

And to top off the brilliant morning in a spectacular fashion, he was suddenly summoned to the Hokage's office...

By her pet pig.

It was just one of those days that was nothing but a damned drag.

His shuffled steps along the hall that led to the Hokage's office were only delaying the inevitable. Dragging his feet would not stop him from reaching his destination, though it might tick off the kunoichi. His hands were shoved firmly in his pockets in the small amount of rebellion that he permitted himself before he faced his boss. He would go, but he didn't have to be happy about it.

He wasn't even wearing his vest.

He couldn't be bothered to care about that minor detail though. If he was being summoned before it was even a reasonable hour to be awake, then he doubted that the Hokage would call him out on it.

At least he was wearing shoes.

Shikamaru had to knock only once on the Hokage's door before he received a curt "Enter".

He paused briefly, eyebrows sliding upwards. Yep, he was now positive. Something was definitely going on. Steeling himself, he pushed the door open, took one look at the expression on her face, and almost shut the door again.

Almost.

Fully entering, feeling deeply disconcerted, he gave himself over to his fate. "You wanted to see me, Lady Tsunade?" he asked.

Tsunade steepled her fingers under her chin and studied him. "Shikamaru, I'm in need of that intellect of yours."

Well, naturally. She wouldn't have called him in otherwise.

He remained respectfully silent, open to hear his orders. While he was determined to privately feel however put-out he wanted, he refused to show it on the outside. He owed that much to his old man.

Besides, he was actually becoming interested... and it wasn't as if he had anything better to do anyway.

Because Tsunade looked as troubled as he had ever seen her. Her brows were drawn, creased with anxiety that was not totally unexpected, but neither was it completely understandable. The war was over. The cost had been high. And now relations between the Five Great Nations were stronger than ever, but there was still that risk that the peace that had been established could crumble at a moment's notice. And Shikamaru was aware of the strained tensions among the villages that hadn't participated in the war. The Hidden Rain Village had never exactly been on good terms with the Great Nations, and there were many other smaller villages that might view this new alliance as a threat. Political tensions were at an all-time high. But despite all this, the young Nara could tell at a glance that it wasn't this that was troubling the Hokage. (He was glad. He really didn't feel like getting mixed up in a game of politics. That would be a drag.)

Shikamaru studied the Sannin for any clues as to what was going on, but found her face closed off from anything besides obvious worry. The war had aged her. Despite the jutsu she used to keep her youthful appearance, Shikamaru could tell that inside, she felt older than her 56 years.

Tsunade finally spoke. "We have a team that's gone missing."

Shikamaru blinked. His mind was already whirring with just that small tidbit of information. "Which team?"

Tsunade pursed her lips. "Isamu's."

Shikamaru raised a brow, incredulous. "Two jōnin and two chūnin don't just go missing. What was their mission?"

"Standard C-rank. Delivery of some documents."

It was just getting better and better. "Isn't that a bit overkill?"

Tsunade grimaced.

Shikamaru continued. "Even if you were worried about the… delicate situation the villages are in right now, it doesn't explain why you would send _that team_ on _that_ particular mission."

Tsunade hesitated, some emotion Shikamaru couldn't identify flashing across her eyes briefly. She sighed. "I was originally going to send only Isamu and Neji on the mission."

That would have been infinitely more sensible in Shikamaru's opinion. Two experienced jōnin trumped a team full of hot blood when it came to delicate matters and avoidance of confrontation.

"But," Tsunade continued, breaking the jōnin out of his inner thoughts. "Isamu requested a larger team."

Now that was interesting, and it had Shikamaru's mind racing. A hundred different scenarios opened up. A thousand reasons why Isamu would request such a thing. "Did he say why?" he pressed.

"He claimed it was for strategic purposes," Tsunade said, though her tone suggested that she no longer believed that to be the case. "I didn't question him. I'll admit that my mind was preoccupied with the... political situation. So I assigned the only two chūnin that I had available."

Shikamaru hummed. "Lee and Toru." Pieces began slotting together in his mind like a puzzle—a hazy image formed, but it was still too unclear. He needed more information. He closed his eyes. "Where was the last location? Have you sent trackers?"

"Yes," said Tsunade and Shikamaru opened his eyes. "I sent team 8 to follow their trail. It led them all the way to the rendezvous point of the mission." Her expression turned distasteful. "It was a battle ground."

"An ambush?"

Tsunade nodded. "It looks that way. It appears they put up a fight, but there was no trace of them beyond that point. They vanished. The only thing we found was Neji's hitai-ate."

Neji wouldn't be pleased about that. "Hn. Kabuto had the ability to erase his scent," Shikamaru mused. He sighed. "We need to figure out why the team was ambushed to begin with. The documents couldn't have been sensitive if it was only a C-rank mission."

Tsunade shook her head. "They weren't classified. Just some information on a few of our shinobi that had gone-" her lips curled into a sneer of disgust, "-_rogue_. There would be no reason to steal them."

_If that was the case_… "Then the team itself was the objective. Someone wanted shinobi from the Leaf."

At his words, the air in the room seemed to still, growing thicker. Even the noises from the village, that drifted through the open window, didn't disturb the sudden tension that thickly blanketed the office.

Tsunade squeezed her eyes shut. Her reaction told Shikamaru that she wasn't at all surprised. "What are your thoughts?"

Shikamaru briefly scrubbed a hand over his mouth, eyes growing distant as he ran through possible courses of action. "This whole scenario seems off. I don't know what it is yet. I need more information. Some research."

"I'll take care of it." A wicked gleam entered the Hokage's eyes. "I'm sure Kotetsu and Izumo would love to get away from their desk to do a little research. In the meantime, I want you to lay out every possibility of where the team could have disappeared to."

"Right," Shikamaru said, before adding, "and don't forget, the Sand ambassador is arriving tomorrow."

From the blank look Tsunade pinned him with, he took it that she _had_ forgotten. Tsunade passed a weary hand over her eyes.

"That's right. Temari."

Shikamaru nodded. His lips quirked upwards in a smile he couldn't quite suppress.

Tsunade sighed, missing his expression. "I don't have anyone available to escort her around the village. And now with this…"

"I'll handle it," said Shikamaru, perhaps a little quicker than necessary. "Both things," he tacked on.

Tsunade shut her eyes and sighed. "Very well. If you think you can handle it." She looked at him again, brown eyes sharp and just slightly desperate. "We lost so many good people. Shinobi too young to be exposed to war. We can't lose any more."

That was as far as she was willing to go, and Shikamaru knew it. So with a brief nod, Shikamaru turned to leave.

"Shikamaru," Tsunade's voice halted his steps. "You'll make a great jōnin commander someday."

There it was. That _push_. The one that should have come from his sensei or from his father. Then he could have brushed it off with a "too troublesome". But coming from the Hokage put it into a new context. It made it a very real possibility, and one that somehow didn't seem so far away either. Though she would never admit it, the Hokage needed support in a world that had inevitably become changed by war. Shikamaru could see things happening in the future, some good and some bad, but nothing would be remain the same.

Not for him, not for the Hokage, and not for the Leaf.

He ducked his head, but didn't turn around as he said a simple, "I know." And then he was gone.

* * *

Lee couldn't express in words how Neji's sudden revelation made him feel.

"Oh, Neji… is it… is it...?" He couldn't quite get it out.

Neji reached up to rub at his seal, an involuntary gesture, and closed his sightless eyes. "Permanent? I do not believe so. Theoretically, once we are out of range of his jutsu, your strength should come back… and my Byakugan."

There was a thin undercurrent of doubt in the Hyūga's tone, nearly imperceptible, and only someone who had known him for a very long time would have picked up on it. Even thought their situation was grave, Lee felt oddly pleased that he was able to hear it. "I have no doubt!" he said, putting as much strength into the words as his lungs would allow. "For no mere man can keep us from our youth!"

Neji didn't reply, and Lee felt his resolve flicker. He could only imagine how his friend felt. He himself felt rather useless in his current physical state, but for Neji, his Byakugan was everything. The Byakugan was one of the three great visual jutsus, highly coveted by many villages and shinobi. And because they possessed it, the Hyūga clan was widely regarded as one of the strongest clans amongst any of the nations, and they were certainly the strongest clan of the Leaf Village. Especially since the Uchiha had been nearly wiped out years ago. And Neji was the one who possessed the strongest Byakugan the Hyūga had produced in generations. Of course, He was still a genius even without it, but for the prodigy, his world had been surely turned upside down in only a mere matter of moments. To top it all off, he didn't even have normal vision. To be a shinobi and not be able to see… well it just didn't happen.

By that point in his internal musings, Lee would have already sprung to his feet and dragged Neji out of his despondent state in a glorious display of youth that could not have been ignored. Sadly, that wasn't possible, if the pain lancing through his muscles was anything to go by. So he was forced to use only his words to inspire his comrade into action. "Do not worry Neji! You're sight will soon return then, for someone will surely notice that we are missing, and this mysterious foe will be discovered and defeated!"

"Hn," said Neji. "That's another thing I'm worried about."

Lee frowned, the spark of hope in his chest sputtered and then died completely. "What do you mean?"

A muscle in Neji's jaw twitched, and Lee could see that whatever the Hyūga was thinking about was not pleasant.

Finally, Neji spoke. "While I don't deny that it would be nice to be rescued, I am not all that optimistic on our chances of being found. Our enemy has been two steps ahead of us the entire time, and I have no doubt that we have been taken far away from our last location, and that our trail has been covered.

"Also, it has already been close to a week since we were due back in the Village. They will have already undoubtedly have sent someone to search for us by now."

Lee was confused. "Is that not a good thing? This enemy must be captured."

Neji shook his head, his expression grim. "This particular enemy has a huge advantage over us. If he could steal the strength of every ninja they sent after us, not only would there be panic, but they would most likely be captured as well. Even if the ANBU were sent, I don't think they could take this man down."

"What about Naruto?" Lee pressed, unwilling to give up. "Naruto is stronger than any shinobi in this world."

Neji opened his eyes again and gaped at Lee, some of the flabbergasted expression leaking into his eyes. "Do you really think that the Hokage would let that happen? Besides, they don't know where we are. _We_ don't even know where we are. We could be outside of any of the known nations at this point. There's an entire uncharted wasteland to the north of the Land of Earth. And you know what Naruto was classified as once the war was over. Lady Tsunade would never put the Leaf in that position, just to find a single missing team carrying information that wasn't even of any importance."

Lee spirit had disappeared as fast as a popped balloon at Neji's words. It was true, he had forgotten for a moment that Naruto, his friend and rival, was now considered, by every nation other than the Five Great Nations—

A weapon.

His strength had risen to the point that, while he was still regarded as a hero, many of the smaller, weaker nations feared the power he possessed. It didn't matter that anyone who had ever known the jinchūriki realized right away that Naruto would never abuse the power he held. He was still feared just the same.

Held in awe…

But still feared.

And Neji was right. The Hokage would never send Naruto into foreign territory just to retrieve a few missing shinobi, especially not when it could incite another… not war, but certainly no hanami party either.

Neji made a sudden noise, and it took Lee a moment to realize that it was a chuckle. "Of course," the Hyūga said, "knowing Naruto, I think the Hokage is going to have her hands full keeping him from charging off anyway. He's always been like that." His lips tugged upwards in the semblance of a smile.

Lee had to blink several times to make sure he hadn't imagined it. Finally, his own dazzling grin was back on his face. "That is for sure!"

The air suddenly seemed much lighter, and Lee took a chance to ask once final thing.

"Do you think they have any chance at finding us?"

Neji sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. "Honestly, I hope not. They'd be walking into a bloodbath."

* * *

Down a dimly lit hall, lined with stones cracked from age, not very far from the tiny room where Neji and Lee were discussing their predicament, there was another room. This one was much larger, and filled with an odd assortment of tools and equipment, all of a scientific nature. A large tank in one corner gave off a green glow as liquid swirled within it.

The room was occupied by only two people. One stood at a workbench, dark locks of hair falling forward into his face as he hunched over a microscope. The man frowned and fiddled with the knobs on the device for a moment, bringing the image of the sample he was viewing into sharper detail. He released a quiet hum of approval and straightened. His eyes traveled across the room, fixing momentarily on the large tank before resuming their journey. They landed on the other occupant—a hunched figure in one corner of the room, bound and gagged for good measure.

Their eyes met, and the dark haired man let a slow smile stretch across his face. "Yes. We are nearly ready now. So clossse." He let the end of his sentence trail off into a hiss, satisfied when his prisoner visibly flinched further into the corner, as though it could escape through the walls. A ridiculous notion. His prey had never escaped from him before, and this time around would be no different.

Smile still in place, the man turned back to his work, quickly jotting down a few notes on the paper beside the microscope. So close, yes. So close. He could nearly taste it. The pure ecstasy of success was within his grasp. He felt something humming through his veins, powerful and potent, and he had to swallow down the laughter that threatened to burst from his lungs. Smile widening to the point of pain, the man extracted a syringe-full of glowing liquid from a beaker on the table, tapping on the plastic to remove the air. Turning around once more, he fixed his dark eyes on the trembling figure in the corner.

The light caught the metal tip of the syringe, looking more dangerous than any dagger. "Let's begin," the man purred.

* * *

**A/N: Yo!...**

**That's all I've got :P**

**Thought? Feelings? Reviews?**


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